Battle of Sangin (2010)
ISAF / * United States * Islamic Republic of Afghanistan | combatant2 = Taliban | combatant3 = | commander1 = | commander2 = | commander3 = | units1 = List: |bullets= yes | *3rd Battalion 7th Marines *3rd Battalion 5th Marines *2nd Battalion 9th Marines *2nd Battalion 8th Marines *3rd Battalion 25th Marines *1st Battalion 5th Marines *3rd Battalion 4th Marines *1st Battalion 6th Marines *1st Battalion 7th Marines *2nd Battalion 7th Marines *1st Recon Battalion *2nd Recon Battalion *3rd Recon Battalion *1st Battalion 23rd Marines *8th Engineer Support Battalion *9th Engineer Support Battalion *7th Engineer Support Battalion *1st Combat Engineer Battalion *2nd Combat Engineer Battalion *3rd Combat Engineer Battalion *1st Tank Battalion *2nd Tank Battalion *1st Intelligence Battalion * Tactical PSYOP Team 1061 }} | units2 = Unknown | strength1 = | strength2 = | strength3 = | notes = | campaignbox = }} The Battle for Sangin was an extended campaign during the War in Afghanistan. Third Battalion Seventh Marine Regiment initiated clearing operations. Third Battalion Fifth Marine Regiment continued and is credited with completing the clearing phase. Sangin is considered the bloodiest battleground of Afghanistan by both US and British alike. With both nations suffering the loss of over 100 killed in action, and several hundred moderate to severe casualties. The volatile campaign in the Sangin Valley has been extensively covered in the media by Wall Street Journal , Time, USA Today, and other publications. US Marine battle history In September 2010, Liam Fox, the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Defense, announced that northern Helmand would be transferred to the U. S. Marines.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11367931 UK troops leave Helmand's Sangin]. BBC News, 2010-09-20. The British troops withdrew on September 20, 2010 to be replaced by 3rd Battalion 7th Marines. 3/7 deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan from March 2010 to October 2010. During this deployment, the Marines of 3/7 faced daily attacks and operated in various locations including Musa Qaleh, Marjah, and Sangin. In Sangin, 3/7 relieved the 40 Commando of the British Royal Marines in July 2010 and began clearing operations in some of the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan, where they begin operation "Sangin Sunrise" which cleared all the tree lines that led to the Helmand River with 1st Marine Tank Division and established bases such as PB Fires, COP Dragon and others later destroyed by 3/5. 3/7 was later relieved by 3/5 in September 2010. 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment, commanded by LtCol Jason Morris, continued clearing operations in early October 2010. Members of 3/5 conducted clearing operations in the Sangin District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) between September 2010 and April 2011. Attached to 3/5 was Kilo company of the Third Battalion Twenty-Fifth Marine Regiment (3/25,) commanded by Major Alexander Snowden. Kilo Company along with Echo company Second Battalion Ninth Marines (2/9,) and Naval Corpsman from Regimental Combat Team 2 (RCT2.) These units came to the aid of 3/5 due to the number of casualties, 25 KIA, 184 WIA,http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/05/local/la-me-marines-memorial-20111105 sustained during the immediate months in their deployment in Sangin, thus allowing the unit to more effectively clear through Sangin. They were actively in Sangin from October 2010 until April 2011 at which point the unit was relieved by First Battalion Fifth Marine Regiment which began the second phase (holding phase) of Sangin, returning in October 2011 with 17 KIA, 191 WIA.http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/05/local/la-me-marines-memorial-20111105 Sangin was a region that was primarily shaped, cleared, held, and built (in tactical terms) by the units: (in no specific order) 1/6, 3/7, 3/5, 3/25, 1/23, 2/8, 2/9, 1/5, 1/7, 2/7, 1st Tanks, 1st/2nd/3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 8th ESB, 7th ESB, 1st CEB, 2nd CEB, 3rd CEB and members of MARSOC/USASOC/NAVSOC (SOTF). Casualties * 5/22/2010 – Cpl Kevin A Cueto, USMC 3/7 * 6/16/2010 Cpl Jeffrey R. Standfest, USMC 3D CEB, Alpha Company * 6/22/2010 Cpl. Claudio Patiño IV, USMC 3/7 (SSP)https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/marine-cpl-claudio-patino-iv/4685348 * 7/16/2010 SSgt. Justus S. Bartelt, USMC 2/6 * 7/19/2010 Cpl Paul J. Miller, USMC 3D CEB, Alpha Company * 6/16/2010 Lcpl. Michael A. Bailey, USMC 3/7, India Co. ABV PLT. Killed in action by the Sangin Sniper. * 9/28/2010 Lance Cpl. Ralph J. Fabbri – USMC 1stMarDiv, HQBN, H&S, Combat Camera. Was an attachment to 3/7. * 10/08/2010 LCpl John T. Sparks USMC 3/5 * 10/13/2010 PFC Victor A Dew USMC 3/5 * 10/13/2010 LCpl Joseph E Rodewald USMC 3/5 * 10/13/2010 LCpl Phillip D. Vinnedge USMC 3/5 * 10/13/2010 CPl Justin J. Cain USMC 3/5 * 10/14/2010 LCpl Irvin M. Ceniceros USMC 3/5 * 10/14/2010 LCpl Joseph C. Lopez USMC 3/5 * 10/14/2010 LCpl Alec E. Catherwood USMC 3/5 * 10/15/2010 LCpl James D. Boelk USMC 3/5 * 10/16/2010 Sgt Ian M. Tawney USMC 3/5 * 11/04/2010 LCpl Mathew J. Broehm USMC 3/5 * 11/04/2010 LCpl Brandon W. Pearson USMC 3/5 * 11/06/2010 LCpl Randy R. Braggs USMC 3/5 * 11/09/2010 1stLt Robert M. Kelly USMC 3/5 * 11/10/2010 LCpl James B. Stack USMC 3/5 * 11/24/2010 LCpl Ardenjoseph A. Buenagua USMC 3/5 * 11/25/2010 1stLt William J. Donnelly IV USMC 3/5 * 12/02/2010 Sgt Matthew T. Abbate USMC 3/5 * 12/06/2010 Cpl Derek A. Wyatt USMC 3/5 * 12/06/2010 PFC Colton W. Rusk USMC 3/5 * 12/07/2010 Sgt Jason D. Peto USMC 3/5 * 12/17/2010 LCpl Jose L. Maldonado USMC 3/5 * 12/24/2010 LCpl Kenneth A. Corzine USMC 3/5 * 12/28/2010 Cpl Tevan L. Nguyen USMC 3/5 * 01/01/2011 Cpl Jacob Tate USMC 2/9 Echo * 01/02/2011 LCpl Sam Htaik USMC 2/9 Echo * 01/07/2011 LCpl Ryan Giese USMC 2/9 Echo * 01/20/2011 Sgt Jason G. Amores USMC 3/5 * 02/22/2011 Cpl. John Taylor USMC 2/8 *04/11/2011 Sgt. Robinson Recon. Tm Black Sheep. * 04/24/2011 – LCpl Joe M. Jackson, USMC 1/5 (Alpha) * 04/28/2011 – LCpl Ronald D. Freeman, USMC 1/5 (2nd Combat Engineers) * 06/09/2011 – LCpl Nicholas S. O'Brien, USMC 1/5 (Bravo) * 06/12/2011 – LCpl Sean M. N. O'Connor, USMC 1/5 (Alpha) * 06/12/2011 – LCpl Joshua B. McDaniels, USMC 1/5 (2nd Combat Engineers) * 06/21/2011 – Cpl Jared C. Verbeek, USMC 1/5 (Police Advisor Team One) * 06/22/2011 – Cpl Gurpreet Singh, USMC 1/5 (Bravo) * 06/26/2011 – LCpl John F. Farias, USMC 1/5 (Bravo) * 06/26/2011 – GySgt Ralph E. Pate Jr. USMC 1/5 (EOD) * 06/30/2011 – Sgt Chad D. Frokjer, USMC 1/5 (Alpha) * 06/30/2011 – Cpl Kyle R. Schneider, USMC 2/8 (Echo) * 07/10/2011 – LCpl Norberto Mendez-Hernandez, USMC 1/5 (Bravo) * 07/12/2011 – LCpl Robert S. Greniger, USMC 1/5 (2nd Combat Engineers) * 08/06/2011 – Sgt Daniel J. Patron, USMC 1/5 (EOD) * 08/07/2011 – Sgt Adan Gonzalez Jr. USMC 1/5 (SSP) * 08/07/2011 – Sgt Joshua J. Robinson, USMC 1/5 (SSP) * 09/15/2011 – Cpl Michael J. Dutcher, USMC 1/5 (Bravo) * 09/24/2011 – LCpl Frankie Watson, USMC * 10/13/2011 – LCpl Scott D. Harper, USMC 1/6 (Animal) * 10/23/2011 – LCpl Jordan Bastean, USMC 3/7 * 10/24/2011 – LCpl Jason Barfield, USMC 3/7 * 11/5/2011 – LCpl Nickolas Daniels, USMC 3/7 * 11/18/2011 – LCpl Joshua Corral, USMC 3/7 * 11/21/2011 – Cpl Zachary Reiff, USMC 3/7 * 1/21/2012 – Cpl Christopher Singer, USMC 3/7 * 3/27/2012 – SSgt Joseph D'Augustine, USMC 3/7 EOD * 6/23/2012 / Cpl Niall Coti-Seares, USMC 1/7 See also * Siege of Sangin References Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Category:Conflicts in 2010 Category:2010 in Afghanistan Category:History of Helmand Province Category:NATO operations in Afghanistan Category:United States Marine Corps in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)